Water warmers

[puredelite]

I am tired of fighting the frozen water in the coop every mornin' and so I am running electric power out there for not only to keep warm water but also for lighting. I have found two different types of water warmers available- the heated base type for double walled metal founts and a plastic waterer with a built in heater. Anyone have experiences with either type? Which would you consider the best of the two? Just discovered on another post on this thread a home-made type made from a metal oil changing pan and may just make a couple of those!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Easiest perhaps? Likely the cheapest too!!

The big, heated, dog water bowl. Set a small 1 1/2 gallon bucket of water into that dog dish bowl. Makes taking water a snap.
I don't actually put water into the heated dog bowl, just set the small pail of water into it. Hope that makes sense.

Some of the plastic heated poultry fountains are a giant pain to use.

 

[Mervin]

I'm with Fred. I just bought the heated-dog bowl three days ago, $19 at TSC. It's working like a charm.

Fred I like your pail idea too. Easier to keep clean. I may have to figure out how to hook the dog bowl heater to my 5-gallon buck with nipples though.

 

[ShenValleyChick]

Fred's Hens :

Some of the plastic heated poultry fountains are a giant pain to use.

what makes these a pain? i havent decided which way to go and am curious​

 

[averytds]

I have a plastic heated fount. The 3 gallon one. While it does keep the water flowing, I hate filling it. It's like most poultry founts that you have to turn upside down to fill. If there's still water in it, you'll have water spilling out when you go to move it or refill. I always have trouble getting the base twisted back on right, especially when it's on the ground, so I bring it inside to fill and then have to carry the full waterer back out. I always end up getting some on me when I have to open doors and when flipping it back over to hook it up. It's a pain and it's expensive. It does keep my water flowing though.


I made a cookie tin heater for inside this year and when my high dollar one quits, I'll not be buying another. There are too many cheaper and easier options available. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=107951


Mervin-Try a bucket heater or fish tank heater. Something submersible to heat the bottom and keep the nipples working.

 

[karimw]

We made a cookie tin heater too, it works just as well as the one I paid $40 for! I have a 3 gallon metal waterer on it and it has yet to freeze in sub 0 weather. Any idea if these would be safe to set a plastic waterer on? I haven't, just wondered.

We also use the heated dog bowls (on sale at Thiesens right now for $14.00) I set them up for the cats but the turkeys and chickens share.

 

[averytds]

karimw- The OP of that thread and most of the respondents use them with plastic founts. If I remember the consensus was to use a 40W or lower bulb with most using only 25W bulbs. I've got a 5 gal bucket on mine and just wired in a thermostat. Just try it with a low watt bulb and only go higher if necessary.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

My DH made the cookie tin water heater and it works great! We have a 2 gallon galvonized waterer on it and it was still liquid this morning at -1. The cookie tin sits on top of a concrete block and so I have no issues with litter getting into the waterer. We started with a 60 watt bulb but it was too hot so we are using a 40 watt. Works great.

 

[mlorne]

I started out using a small gallon waterer on top of a seedling heat mat that I use in the greenhouse. Worked just fine when it was -5C or so, but when it started to dip down to -15C at night, just wouldn't cut it. So, if you are in a moderate zone, something to consider.

I purchased a heated plastic fountain at the feed lot, primarily because this model has a filling port in the bottom. In other words, you don't have to remove the base to fill, just flip it upside down when empty and fill it up with a funnel.

Seems to be working just fine so far.

Michael

 

[elevan]

I made 2 of the cookie tin water heaters myself. They work great! I used a 25w appliance bulb in mine so it's less likely to burn out quickly. I just put the heater on bricks and put my water fount on top of it. Like I said they work great and we've gotten to -11 here.